Dial Before You Dig and WorkSafe Victoria have called on plant operators and tradesmen to reduce the risk of injury by checking on the presence of underground infrastructure before they begin work.
Dial Before You Dig is a free referral service used by professional contractors, underground asset owners (e.g. gas, water, electricity and data cabling) and individuals undertaking excavation.
Given two clear working days notice of a work-site location, Dial Before You Dig provides information on the presence of underground assets. "This helps ensure excavation work is done safely,” Dial Before You Dig chairman, Scott Reid said.
“Millions of dollars worth of damage could occur while lives and livelihoods were threatened through careless excavation practices”.
“WorkSafe Victoria and Dial Before You Dig encourages those who could damage infrastructure to use the service and for infrastructure owners to ensure records were kept up to date.
WorkSafe Victoria’s Executive Director, John Merritt, said it was important to realise cables and pipes could be anywhere. “They are laid at varying depths on public and private property and can be inside and outside easements.
“Without planning your work and checking for the presence of pipes and cables the risk of serious injury or death rises along with the potential to cut essential services to homes and businesses, over a wide area”. “Getting the information you need before starting work is an investment in your workers, the project and your business”.